The health benefits of exotic and rare fruits

The physalis is a plant of the nightshade plants and it wants warm climates and subtropical areas. All except 1 species are native to the New World and majority of species are in Mexico. And 46 species are endemic there. This is a small orange fruit with shape and size like small tomato, but is closed in a papery husk from the calyx. Many physalis kinds are also named groundcherries. The name for this is also peruviana or cape gooseberry, and this is not the same as real gooseberries, which belong to the Ribes of Grossulariaceae.

These are herbaceous plants of 0.4 to 3 metres tall and are like the regular tomato, plant of same family, but stiffer and with upright stems. They can be perennial or annual. Most need sun and hot climates. Some can be sensitive to frost but others like the Chinese can even stand the winter.

Not every kind of this plant is edible. Some species are made for eating and the typical physalis is like the tomato, strawberry or pineapple in the flavor or a bit more acidic. The cape gooseberry and tomatillo are bred with different flavors, from sweet to savory. And this fruit is also loaded with cryptoxanthin.

This fruit can be used like tomato. When it is pulled from the husk, you can eat it raw or in salad. Some kinds are used for desserts, flavors, preserves, or like dry raisins. They have pectin and are put in pies.

Cape gooseberry is native in USA but also in tropical areas. The use in South Africa near Cape Good Hope inspired the same name. other species are the tomatillo among others. You can grow them for ornaments as well. The hardy physalis alkekengi is large and bright red.

In Chinese medicine, the physalis recipes ae used as remedies for coughs, abscesses, sore throat. The smooth gooseberry is hallucinogenic and it is cultivated for more than decoration, and it is banned in USA Louisiana, Act 159.

The health benefits of physalis

This is drug nourishing crops plant. The fruit has loads of vitamin C more than in lemons and this reddish tomato has a better taste than the tomatillo. Apart from the fruits, leaves, stems and roots there is still more here. This plant is a 12 month shrub and is regarded weeds.

Flu and laryngitis

All parts can be cut in bits of 3-4 cm each, dried and wrapped to keep dampness. Then 9-15 g boiling water are taken for this purpose. Do this 3 times daily.

Diabetes mellitus

Boil it with 2 cups water, then chill It and drink in the morning. The waste can be boiled once again and drank in afternoon.

Lung diseases

Like no. 1. Boiling, using 3-5 cups water , cooling, straining and drank 3 times daily.

Weight loss

In 100 g you get 53 calories and 1 g fat. For this you can add these cherries in every meal and get also many fibers for satiety.

Rich with vitamin A

In 100 g of these cherries you get 720 IU vitamin A or 14% of daily adult needs. This vitamin is crucial for eyesight and skin health, immunity, genes transcription. It is also an antioxidant, and this means that it can make neutral the free radicals and keep us safe from cancer and diseases like macular degeneration, arthritis and cystic fibrosis.

Vitamin C source

In 100 g of these cherries you get 11 mg C and this is 18% daily needs. This vitamin also makes more collagen and thus pressure is lowered too and you get more protected from atherosclerosis, cataracts and such. Like the vitamin A, the C also is antioxidant and keeps you safe from free radicals.

B vitamin

In 100 g of this cherry you get all the vitamin B and thiamine , 0.11% or 7% daily needs, riboflavin 2%, niacin 14%. Even though this vitamin B is a group, they have their own benefits: the thiamine keeps nervous system healthy, riboflavin makes better cell growth and the niacin is for DNA repair and energy.